


Nightmares, Daydreams

by qlexy



Series: rwby rare pair week 2017 [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Revenge, if you ever felt any immense hatred towards Jacques, no srsly, rwby rare pair week, semblance bullshit, the wrecking of jacques schnee as brought to you by the emerald sustrai foundation, this might be the story for you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 18:22:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12086733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qlexy/pseuds/qlexy
Summary: There are few things Emerald hates more than to see her girlfriend upset. Jacques Schnee learns that the hard way. OS.





	Nightmares, Daydreams

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the first day of @rwbyrarepairweek on tumblr! Prompt: Dust/ **Semblance**

It was almost dawn by the time she closed the door behind her. 

Emerald quietly slipped out of her leather jacket when she arrived in their little apartment at the edge of town. Their home had never been much to look at, not when they bought it two years back and clearly not now that the heating in the living room was malfunctioning again.  
But that it was a home to her at all, that the feeling of unease and stress quieted down the minute she entered, that she felt safe in here - that was more than enough at the moment. 

She briefly considered taking a nice, hot shower to relax her tired muscles but she felt like she could barely move her legs at this point, every step a new challenge to see if the tension in her body would give in and leave her down on the floor. She cursed softly at the sensation of her fingers trembling against the skin of her stomach, shirt halfway up her torso. This always happened and every time felt worse than the last. 

But it would be better in the morning, she knew. And until then, she had something to hold onto to. 

Emerald discarded the rest of her clothes on the way to the bedroom, fully aware that Weiss would scold her for not cleaning up after herself tomorrow. But she just couldn’t be bothered right now. 

The crisp, clean fabric of the t-shirt she pulled out of their shared wardrobe felt like a little piece of heaven between her fingers and she couldn’t help the sigh escaping her lips when she threw it over her head. In the dim light, she couldn’t be sure if it was Weiss’ shirt or hers, but she’d pretend it was one of Weiss’ anyways.

She tiptoed towards the four poster bed sitting in the middle of the room - Weiss had insisted, it was pretty much the only really expensive thing she had taken with her when she moved out and it always felt comfortably out of place in their rather humble flat - and crawled under the covers as carefully as she managed. 

Still, predictably, Weiss stirred, blinking up at her with tired eyes. She had always been a light sleeper.  
“You’ve been away”, she mumbled, fighting a yawn but losing. 

“I was.” Emerald brushed her hair out of her face softly, smiling when Weiss snuggled closer. “Just had to clear my head for a bit. I went for a walk.”

“Mmh..” Her lids fluttered closed and she was almost sure that she had fallen right back to sleep.  
“Em?” 

“Yes?” 

Weiss sighed, propping herself up on her elbows with some difficulty. She looked like she hadn’t slept in ten days, but then, that was to be expected.  
“I’m sorry about yesterday. My family’s behaviour was unacceptable. Rest assured that I uninvited them, especially my father, after he called you a… a…” 

Emerald saw her bite her lip and was already shaking her head.  
“You don’t have to - “ 

Weiss stopped her mid-sentence, holding up a hand.  
“No. He called you a... tramp and other horrible things to your face. I thought I could make this work but all I managed to do was to drag you into a situation you never wanted to be in. I want him out of my life, out of your life, out of our life and it starts right now.” Her expression was strained, like these words had nagged at her all day and now that she finally said them, she wasn’t sure if they even had the right to leave her lips in the first place. 

She softened when Emerald wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her close.  
“I appreciate that, Weiss, but it’s unnecessary. I think your father and I settled our differences.” She felt her stiffen. 

“You what?”

Emerald smirked against her neck. Too bad Weiss could never know the real story.  
“He called when you were already asleep. Apologized to me and I let him squirm for a bit because I was insulted, but in the end, I accepted. That he promised to pay for most of the wedding expenses helped his apology along, too, I guess.” 

“Father doesn’t _apologize_ ”, Weiss sputtered in disbelief, staring at her wide-eyed. 

Emerald just shrugged. “I think he had some good reasons to.” 

“No, I don’t think you understand, he would never - how did you - _what_ -” Rendering Weiss speechless never failed to put her in a good mood. 

“Let’s talk about this tomorrow, Princess.” She was about to protest when Emerald pressed her lips against hers, gently, sweetly. Weiss didn’t even last a second, melting into her kiss, into every tiny touch. She would’ve loved to stay like this for a while, holding her close, kissing all her favourite spots, but her body was aching, begging her to get some rest and reluctantly, she pulled away. 

She didn’t give Weiss enough credit for her ability to retrieve her composure in a mere second or so. 

“You’re going to explain to me h-”

“Good night, Weiss.” Finality in her voice. She couldn’t know. 

“You’re impossible”, Weiss huffed, shutting her eyes in frustration but still keeping her close, forehead leaning against her shoulder.  
Then, hesitantly: “... good night, Emerald.” 

Emerald smiled. She waited for her breathing to slow before she allowed her own body the rest it desperately craved.  
She would marry Weiss Schnee and there was nothing and nobody that would stand in her way.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Earlier that night..._

The alleyway in which they were supposed to meet was deserted that night. 

Emerald zipped up her jacket against the freezing November air, fingers numb from the cold. She’d rather be anywhere else right now.  
But after today, she was left with no choice. 

She hid in the shadows, waiting in silence for her target to arrive. Only a few minutes passed before a tall, pale figure caught her attention, illuminated by the single street light in their path. 

She never expected him to be on time.

It wasn’t everyday that you witnessed somebody as uptight and utterly out of place as Jacques Schnee in this dark, grimy part of the city. But then, the fact that he agreed to meet with her here - and her friendship with Mercury had finally paid off when he dictated her a list of potential shady ex clients over the phone - spoke of his desperation and the dirt on his stark white coat. 

The gravel cracked underneath her boots when she took a step and she halted, watching him freeze before her eyes, his frantic gaze passing right over her as he tried to locate the noise. 

“Who is there?”, Jacques called into the dark and Emerald had to remind herself not to hold her breath. She never taught herself to rely solely on her semblance, didn’t trust herself enough to keep it up unwavering, not taking her invisibility for granted. Still, it was obvious that he was unable to see her right now. 

She wasn’t patient enough to keep him waiting for much longer anyway. 

Emerald focused, her intent clear and bright in her mind. Sometimes, people would ask her how she chose her illusions and what she was basing them on, but she always felt at a loss for words with those questions. She wasn’t sure if she understood it herself as well as she should, so how would she explain the sensation to anybody else? 

It was like skimming through a photo album, every new page a different memory, except the photographs were always in motion. Finding just the one that suited her best wasn’t hard, her fingertips catching on the bumps on an otherwise smooth surface. 

It wasn’t quite mind reading because she never remembered what she saw afterwards. Creating the illusion just felt _right_. At least she didn’t always have to pick their brain like she did now with Jacques. 

Emerald closed her eyes. _Tramp. Whore. Gold digging thief. A disgrace to the family name_. 

“Winter?” Jacques sounded surprised, tentative. “What is this?” 

“Hello, father”, Winter said and Emerald felt her sinister smirk burn someplace deep in her lungs. She sounded like the Winter she remembered, the one that had invited her over for tea when Weiss told her about their relationship. But at the same time, she was so much _more_.  
“You always wanted the best for me, isn’t that what you told everyone?” 

Jacques audibly cleared his throat. “Is this a joke? Have I failed your schooling in such a manner that -” 

She interrupted him. “So, just for you, I sought for the very best. And I think I’ve managed to find it.” With a touch to her temple, everything shifted. 

Lush grass, a beautiful summer sky, Winter in a dress as pale as her hair, her hands intertwined with those of a man Jacques should recognize. 

“H-how -”, he tried to say, startled. 

She turned her head to look him in the eyes as she spoke. “Nobody cares about your opinion, father. In fact, I’m doing everything to oppose it.”

Her laugh was light and clear and clashing with Qrow’s deeper one when she pressed her lips against his. 

Emerald was sure they weren’t even dating in real life. 

“ _Winter_ -” 

But Winter was already gone, in her place Whitley, standing tall in the middle of an array of various beasts.

He didn’t seem to notice Jacques at first, basking in the shimmering light his summons emitted.

Whitley’s voice resounded in the vast nothingness surrounding him: “I’m sorry, father. Summoning runs in the family. So just where do you fit in?” His tone was one of pity, but his mocking expression told otherwise.

“This isn’t real”, Jacques sputtered, tearing at his hair in anguish. “This isn’t real, you’re tricking me, somebody is tricking me! Show yourself this instant!”

He got no answer.

Weiss’ heels clicked against the marble floor that had replaced the gravel a moment after. “I want this one gone by midday. Shredding would be best, just make sure you don’t damage the frame, it was expensive. Can that be arranged?” She pointed at a portrait blocked by the faceless blue collar worker at her side.

“Of course, ma’am. May I ask who this guy even is?”, he boomed.

Weiss grinned sardonically. “Oh, him? Trust me, nobody of relevance.” When the worker stepped aside, he revealed Jacques’ face in the elegant gold frame.

“No, NO!” Jacques tried to run but she tripped him when he reached her. Almost pitiful, seeing him cower in fear because of a simple mind trick.

Emerald took a deep breath. She was running out of time, the images were starting to get blurry and she didn’t have him where she wanted him just yet. _Weiss on the verge of crying after the confrontation with her father. The look in her eyes when he made it obvious to her just how little he cared._

Pulling this last illusion out of his head would cost her what little energy she had left, but she was convinced that it was worth the risk.

His family towered above him, his daughters to his left, Whitley to his right and in the middle a woman who Emerald knew to be Kristall Schnee, his wife.

He tried to scramble backwards but it was no use, any distance he put between himself and them was quickly reduced to nothing.

“Kristall”, he croaked, shielding his eyes as if she was too shining too brightly to directly look at. “My love..”

Kristall sneered.

“You realize, of course, that at no point in our marriage did I consider you anything more than arm candy for my entertainment. You do not possess any remarkable qualities, Jacques, and that you fail to realize this is baffling to me. This family never needed you. This family will never need you. Letting you take over the company is my biggest regret in life, right after the vows I shared with you. But I will now fix this mistake. Replacing you, of course, was not an issue. I have found somebody more worthy of the Schnee legacy and I think it only justified to introduce you after all the time I wasted on you.”

In the midst of them, another figure appeared, taller than the others.

“I’m sorry, Jacques. It’s nothing personal”, James Ironwood said dismissively, shrugging as if this was a necessary measure he had to take. There was a beat of silence and then -

They laughed. Terrible, twisted laughter as they slowly descended upon him, their eyes glowing red in the dim light.

“NO!”

Emerald’s eyes snapped open and the illusions vanished as quickly as they had appeared, leaving behind a pale, feverish, _jumpy_ Jacques Schnee as the only evidence of their existence.

And out of the shadows, she approached him, as if she had always been standing right there.

He lifted his head, recognition flickering across his face when she came into the light. “You.. - you! This was all you, you abhorrent little witch -”

“If I were you right now, I’d be careful with my words, Jacques.” He didn’t deserve her respect, didn’t deserve a formal address.

“This is what I can do. This is what I should be doing to you every single miserable day of your life, to make you suffer the same way your family did. To show you what it’s like to be at the receiving end of that slap you like to dish out.”

Jacques remained painfully silent, the aftershocks of what he had just seen presumably sealing his lips shut.

Emerald had never gotten to use her words like this before and it made her feel _powerful_.

“Because despite all of this, despite the things you did and said and thought, Weiss would not want me to hurt you like I could, like you deserve. And do you want to know why? Because she considers sparing a single thought on you a waste of my time. Now tell me, how does that make you feel? Your own daughter, caring more about a poor _tramp’s_ feelings than the ones of the man who raised her? How does it feel to know that it’s all on you?”

White, hot anger seared through her chest like embers in a dying fire.  
All these sleepless hours of listening to Weiss talk about her family, the fear and the insecurities and her terrible, restless pain, and now, now, all of a sudden, Emerald’s helplessness had a target.

And it was standing right in front of her.

“I’m making you an offer you have no business of refusing. The things you’ve just seen? Will remain a figment of your imagination, nightmare fuel at best but nothing that could ever follow you into the daylight. In exchange, you’ll play nice at the wedding and act like the father Weiss was _supposed_ to have. There won’t be a single word of disapproval out of your or anybody’s mouth, make sure of that or I’ll have you pay for every remark I hear. And after that? Disappear from her life. Leave the city, the country, the continent. Keep away from her. That’s all I ask. Oh and paying for the wedding shouldn’t be too much of a hassle for you, surely? Your last paycheck would cover most of the costs. I’m sorry, she’s the one with the expensive taste.”

A cruel smile twitched at the corner of her lips. Jacques was angry, that much was obvious, but above all, he looked terrified.

“She already took the company from you and I think your dignity goes nicely with that.”

Jacques narrowed his eyes at her in an attempt to keep up pretenses but didn't say any more. Fear clashed with the Schnee complexion or so she heard.

But Emerald wasn’t worried.

“Now, Jacques. Have we got a deal?”

It’s not like she hadn’t already won.


End file.
